Beyond Certification: Governing Deforestation-Free, Regenerative and Socially Just Palm Oil Supply Chains in a Fragmented Global Market — A Critical Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijgsr.v4i10.2Keywords:
Palm Oil Sustainability, Deforestation-Free Supply Chains, Certification, Regenerative Agriculture, SmallholdersAbstract
Palm oil simultaneously exemplifies the efficiency and contradictions of global agricultural commodity production. Its high oil yield per unit area supports food, industrial and energy systems, while historical expansion has contributed to forest conversion, biodiversity decline, peat emissions and contested rural development. This critical qualitative literature review synthesises peer-reviewed research published during 2020–2026 and independently appraises influential policy narratives. The analysis integrates global value-chain governance, institutional pluralism, socioecological resilience and environmental justice. Seven interrelated themes emerge: market fragmentation; certification performance; zero-deforestation accountability; smallholder inclusion; landscape regeneration; financial incentives; and multilevel institutional coordination. Recent evaluations sharpen the distinction between corporate commitment, observable compliance and counterfactual environmental additionality. Evidence also indicates that traceability and certification may coexist with weak producer engagement, uneven livelihood benefits and ecological leakage. In response, the review proposes an Integrated Palm Oil Sustainability Transformation Framework, linking measurable ecological integrity, credible regulatory accountability, distributive inclusion, market incentives and adaptive monitoring
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